Hartford's Ballpark Plan Economic Catalyst

The plan to redevelop Hartford's Downtown North, accelerated by the proposed construction of a stadium for the Double A baseball Rock Cats, has been described as ambitious. So it is. Being timid hasn't gotten it done for our neighborhoods and our city, and it's long past time to reconnect what I-84 splintered apart a half-century ago.

A redeveloped Downtown North neighborhood with a ballpark will mean more jobs for Hartford, an increase in our grand list and tax revenue, greater vibrancy and more affordable activities for families, and more customers for our local businesses. And it will do all of this without placing any new tax burdens on Hartford's property owners.

The Downtown North plan reconnects two of Hartford's neighborhoods to our central business district and the ballpark will be a visible extension, quite literally, of our consistent efforts to build a lively, thriving city where people — from Hartford and beyond — will want to come and spend time, live and learn, start businesses and raise families.

I'm disappointed in this whole deal. The New Britain location is easy to get to, while the abysmal highway system through Hartford is already overtaxed with traffic and just doesn't support the additional strain. I have no interest in travelling up there for a game. It doesn't...

Over the last few weeks, I've met and spoken with residents and businesses about this idea and the consensus has been that Hartford needs to move forward. A ballpark on Main Street, within walking distance of thousands of residents and office workers, is the catalyst needed to revive Downtown North and rid us for good of the sea of parking lots that have occupied the area for decades.

We're already seeing developers knocking on our door. Long vacant buildings are suddenly more attractive, and what was uniformly undesirable is now seen through a different, and more positive, prism. On July 2, the city sought proposals from developers interested in building the ballpark as well as other retail and residential development. Their proposals are due Aug. 1.

The interest is palpable. The Thomas Hooker Brewing Co., named after the founder of Hartford but currently based in Bloomfield, has indicated its intention to submit a bid to build a brewery and restaurant across from the new stadium. The company forecasts that it would be hiring 50 to 80 new workers in addition to its existing 24 employees.

Hartford is moving forward because the city is working hard to build a better future.

During the next two years, more than 1,200 new downtown residential units will be ready for occupancy in formerly empty and unproductive properties such as the old Hotel Sonesta and Bank of America buildings. More than 2,000 state employees will be moving to the long-vacant Connecticut River Plaza in 2016. The new University of Connecticut Hartford campus will bring 2,300 students and 250 employees downtown in 2017. Front Street will soon be defined by a steady stream of local residents and visitors heading to Infinity Hall, Ted's, Nix Seafood, Capital Grille and Spotlight Theatre.

We all recognize that Hartford has been left forsaken in the past by grand proposals that never materialized. So the instinct of some to hesitate is understandable. A vigorous public conversation makes a solid plan even stronger, and that is what is happening now. The plan proposed a month ago is not the plan that will be before the city council a month from now. It will be better, because the people of Hartford will have made it better.

Doing nothing is no longer an option.

Hartford is well positioned to take advantage of unprecedented opportunities, if we have sufficient resolve to move ahead together.

It's time to rally for the home team, for Hartford. Let's stop looking in the rear view mirror, be ambitious, and instead see the possibilities and potential that lie ahead.